Azamara Pricing Structure

I would like to discuss the current pricing structure of Azamara. It seems the current model is to price high and then offer several promotions during the year. Such as double upgrade offer, BOGO, free nights etc. However reviewing the cruise critic boards, you will find many people are displeased with the current system. There seems to be an enormous amount of repetitive corporate nonsense occurring. I will refer to your recent launch of the Pursuit as one example

Azamara specified a launch date and time. However cruises became available to book 12 hours in advance. At prices one would find reasonable. Many clients began to make plans and allowances to accommodate a booking. By the time the sailings were due to be available prices increased astronomically. To levels similar to true luxury lines such as Seabourn and Silversea. This has left many customers disappointing who planed to book and now are not able.

My Question is. As a upper premium cruise line. Why does Azamara choose to meddle with clients in this manner. The excuse of a system glitch is unacceptable. As why would the system glitch a) allow people to book early b) offer pricing wildly different to the current pricing. c) not allow you to hold the booking overnight and d) conveniently switch pricing over 1 hour before the official launch. It appears the lower pricing was only offered to draw interest and speculation in the new ship. In the process disheartening many clients who wished to book reasonable prices.

If this pricing strategy goes unaddressed it will loose many current and potential clients.

Cannot help but agree with sentiments.

Azamara will KNOW at what price they have sold identical itineraries for the last x number of years.

Just price at these prices or slightly above and discount by 5/10 %.

If not then people will simply wait until final payments and book late at discount prices.

Agreed. Azamara seems to be charging true luxury line pricing, yet not upgrading their product/service to warrant it. What is your defense for such a dramatic hike?

Good question. I am also interested on the answer.

First the initial Azamara Pursuit pricing schedule was improperly loaded and simply stated, it was human error. This was not an intentional error or a system glitch. Companies, like people, are imperfect. We are disappointed the error occurred and made the correction once we became aware of the input error. Apologies for the confusion.

I note Larry has completely avoided the question.

It is the stupid pricing where inside prices are inflated to offer "free" balcony" etc that annoys loyal customers

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My Question is. As a upper premium cruise line. Why does Azamara choose to meddle with clients in this manner. The excuse of a system glitch is unacceptable. As why would the system glitch a) allow people to book early b) offer pricing wildly different to the current pricing. c) not allow you to hold the booking overnight and d) conveniently switch pricing over 1 hour before the official launch. It appears the lower pricing was only offered to draw interest and speculation in the new ship. In the process disheartening many clients who wished to book reasonable prices.

If this pricing strategy goes unaddressed it will loose many current and potential clients.

First the initial Azamara Pursuit pricing schedule was improperly loaded and simply stated, it was human error. This was not an intentional error or a system glitch. Companies, like people, are imperfect. We are disappointed the error occurred and made the correction once we became aware of the input error. Apologies for the confusion.

I agree that the pricing strategy is azamazing (but not in a good way), but to be fair to Larry, he did answer the question. The OP started off with a tirade about the "price-high-and-offer-promotions" but then focused on the Pursuit fisaco. I don't blame him for focusing on the actual question rather than the broader post. That would be a much tougher answer.